Apparatus for smelting ores.



4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

I///// x\ :mann 4, 6

J. A. POTTER.

APPABATUS POR SMELTING ORES.

APPLIOATION PILED JUNE 27. 1905.

PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. A. POTTER.

APPARATUS FOR SMELTING ORE&

APPLIOATION PII'ED JUNE27.1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 82l,l90. PATENTED MAY 22. 1906. J. A. POTTER.

APPARATUS FOR SMELTING ORBS.

APPLICATION PILED .TUNE27.1905.

4 SEEETS-SHEBT 3.

No. 821,190. PATENTED MAY 22, 1906. J. A. POTTER.

APPARATUS FOR SMELTING ORES. APPLICATION FILED JUNB27.1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEEJ' 4.

UNITED sTAg ns PATENT OFFICE,

APPARATUS FOR SIVIELTING ORES.

Ne. 821,19o.

Application filed June 27,

TO all whom, 't wear/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Smelting Ores, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for smelting ores, particularly ferriferous ores, the object being to provide an apparatus by which, first, the smelting may be Conveniently accomplished on a large scale with the use of fluid fuels, such as petroleum-oils or uel-gas secondly, with which a compact and economical apparatus may be used; thirdly,'in which the operation may be substantially continuous, and, fourthly, in which the cost of smelting shall be reduced to a minimum, principally from the economical proportioning and application of the amounts of fuel used, respectively, for reducing the oXids and for the application of the heat of fusion. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the furnace, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modified form of the invention. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a further modification.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a' rectangular iron casing inclosing two regenerative chambers 2, provided with shelves 3 of fire-brick. Said chambers communicate at the bottom with flues 4, leading to a stack 5, suitable reversing-dampers and air-inlet valves 6, such as is common in the art, being provided for changingthe direction of'the ingoing air and outfiowing gasesf Between said regenerative chambers 2 is located a circular smelting-chamber 7, of fire-brick, the bottom of which is preferably formed of magnesite, over which pass the products of combustion. For said combustion fluid fuel, such as petroleum-oil or fuel-gas, is admitted through pipes 8, discharging into the air' or gas conduits 9, leading 'from the tops of said regenerative chambers 2 to said open-hearth combustion or smelting chamber 7. At the sides of said casing 1 are secured channelposts 10, which are connected by channelbeams 11, across the mediate portions of Specificaton of Letters Patent,

Patented May `22, 1906.

1,905. Serial Nox 267.303.

which are secured transverse channel-beams i 12, to which are secured angle-iron brackets 14, which in turn are secured to the metallic casng 15 of a retort. To the lower end of said retort-casing 15 is secured a metal ring 16, which serves the purpose of supporting the brickwork 17 of said retort, said brickwork consisting of an inner cylindrical wall 18, an outer cylindrical wall 19, and ribs 20, connecting said walls for strengthening nurof the retort. The spaces 21 between these walls 18 19 and the ribs 20 serve as fiues, through which the necessary hot gases from the combustion-chamber 7 pass, thereby highly heating said retort. Between the circular top 22 of the open-hearth or smelting chamber 7 and the ring-casting 16 is built a roof or dome 23 of refractory material, as fire-brick, the top of said dome being separated from said ring-casting only by means of a water-cooled metallic top made in sections, as b'oXes 24, which can be separately ;withdrawn when necessary for the purpose lof inspection or repairs. This withdrawal is permissible by the fact that the retort does not rest upon said boxes 24, but is supported by the ring-casting 16 and the metal casing 15, which is in turn supported upon the chan- ;nel-beams 13.

3 tion-chambcr 7, especially those from the eX- treme top thereof, are allowed to escape j through holes 25 through said water-cooled %boxes and ring-casting and thence to pass into the fiues 21 of the retort to the top thereof, from any portion of which they can pass j by the fiue 26 to the main stack, the damper 27 being used to regulate the desired amount of gases to pass through the retort-flues 21.

Upon the top of the retort is supported a hopper and dependent ring 28, 'into which 4 the material can be discharged by any suitable means, as by cars movingupon rails 29, j suitably supported upon a frame 30. In the middle of this frame is also mounted, immediately over the hopper, a vertical hydraulic cylinder 31, the piston 32 of which is connected with a plunger 33, which can pass through the mouth of the hopper and fit with sufiicient closeness therein to substantially prevent gases escaping from the retortchamber. When it is desired to charge the retort, the plunger 33 is raised, and the material which has been fed into the hopper falls into the dependent ring in the retort-champoses and eXtending to a point near the top I Thus the necessary portion 1 of the hot gases proceeding from the combus- ICO IIO

and tarry c'arbonaceous material` are all brought to'a pulverulent` or granular condition and are thoroughly commingledl On first commencing the process, which When once 'started can be "continued'indefinite'ly, a shell preferably of sheet metal, of the'same outside'diameter as the interior of the-retort is inserted in the lower end' of said retort, from which it extends to the bottom of' the furnace-hearth, thus' connecting the' lower end of the retort' and urnace-bottom. The above miXture is discharged into'the retort to fillsaid shell, and thenheat is applied to the outside'of said shell by thecombustion of liquid fueladmtted through thejpipes 8 said shell being 'slowly subjectedt'o' the increasing heat of the liquid fuel; causing its contained miXtureto become bound together and hardened'by'the oozing and charring of the tar and coking' of the combined' carbon, after which it" is melted at its lower end, at` which time theheat in the iurnace has been raised t'o such degree that the continuous srnelting process has commenced'independent of' any sucheXtraneous means as that of the shell.

The heat to'whichthe' miXture dis'charged into the retort* is subjected increases gradually as the material descends, and the^effect` of this heat' applied on the outside of" the column'of the miXture is to first* char the 'tar and coke the combined carbon` which forms a constituent of the outer layer or surface of the column, thus forming a hard binding crust* or shell of carbon,'lime, andores bound together, which crust or she'll gradually in'- creases in thicknessas the material'descends intothe lower and hotter zones of the retort, where the tarring and' cokin'g operationeX- tends into the interior of the column. The effect of this earlier charring process is to drive' off the light hydr'ocarbon gases from the' column of' commingled pulverized ores,

' limest'one, and carbonaceous material, said gases passing to the top of the retort, whence they are conveyed through the ppes 34 to the conduits 9'and are added'to the fluid fuel used for smeltingand heatingpurposes.

During the intermediate and later process of charring, binding, and coking the hydr'ocarbon gases distilled from the carbonaceous material act as reducing agents on` the ores commingled with said material, this reduction increasing as the heat becomes greater, since hotter gases are distilled from the charred tar, coke of the column. Said gases oozing from the interior pass through the porous hard charred column and escape up to the top of the retort; but as the material in its descent approaches the bottom portion of the retort the gases so distilled following the path of least resistance tend to escape downward into the 'urna'ce and combustion-chamber'proper and are there burned, the products of combustion passing up through the fiuesof the retort, highly heating the same, and finally out tothe stack. Such'hot reducing-gases constantly passing from the interior to the exterior of the column maintain a protection of the semimetallic particle's that have'formed on'the exteriorof the column from oxygen and oxidation'during their eX- posure'while traveling from the bottom of the retort through the furnace'-chamber to the hottest part of thefurnace, which is greatest just above the surface of the bath, at which point the heat compl'etes the reduction of the ores, compelling the remaining oxygen thereof to unitewith'the solid oarbon contained in the column, while at' the same'time'the lime has combined' with the silicious and other earths of the column, forminga slag which gathers and fioats on top'of the metallicbath' contained in the furnace-hearth. While this action isgoing on continually the metallic particlesformed in the earlier stages-of the process are constantly being attracted and fus'ed together' and formedinto -a fibrous contr'acted metallic column intermingled with entrapped combined carbon, as'coke from the carbonaceous materials, which' gradually descends with the metallic columninto and under the liquid bath of` dissolving carbona-` ceous molten iron that' is always maintained in the furnace hearth', where they are constantly being dissolved and amalgamated in said bath. The accumulating molten iron and slag are tapped ofi" at suitable intervals into a metal andslag separator located on'the outside of the furnace hearth, from' where the met'als and' slags are' dr'awn from` different levels for final distribution; V If the' column should not gradually descend'in the retort by itsown gr'avity, it may be assisted from time to time by means oftheplunger 33.

In the appar'atus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 after the combustion has been continued for a sufficient' length of timein one direction the direction is reversed, and the air is passed through the regenerative chamber whichhas been highly heated in the previous step, thereby utilizing the' waste heat of combustion and rendering the 'process more effective and'economical. In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a simpler form of apparatus in which' this reversal is dispensed with. In this apparatus the air for combustion is brought in simultaa neously atopposte sides of the furnace by IOO IIO

ppes 40 and is heated by the radiated heats by being previously passed around the retort through passages or flues 41, which are exterior to the ascending fiues 21, which conduct the hot gases of combustion. Cars 42 are used to carry off the molten iron and slag.

While the retort is a convenient means of binding together the mass of iron ore, limestone, and carbon to form a self-supporting column, yet it may be dispensed with, as is shown in the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 7. In using this apparatus the ores, limestone, and carbonaceous material are formed into briquets, which arepreferably of a cylindrical form and are raised by an elevator 43 into suitable position to be pushed by a hydraulic cylinder 44 onto a guideway 45, by which the briquets are advanced in succession over the chute 46, through which they descend into the furnace. As the briquets descend slowly through the chute into said furnace they are gradually heated and fused together, formng a self-supporting column, that is finally reduced and smelted similar to that in the apparatus previously described.

The carbonaceous material to be used as a binding and reducing and recarbonizing agent to be mixed with the ores and lime comprises, among others, such materials as coke, coal, charcoal, graphite, &c., or it may be advantageous to mix any of the dry carbons with residuum, asphaltum, or oils or the like. The object of using a tarry carbonaceous material is for two purposes: First, the tarry substances which ooze throughout the heated column of material and become charred and form, together with the coke resulting from the coking of the fixed carbon, a strong carbonaceous binder that binds the mass together, thus forming a column strong enough to withstand the downward and outward pressure of the superimpending, portion thereof during the smelting process secondly, the hot carbonaceous gases generated from the charring and coking carbonaceous materials at the different temperatures act as an oXygen-consumer, ore-reducer, metallic protector, and metalrecarbonizer throughout the whole process of heating, binding, charring, smelting, and dissolving.

The result of the commingling of the combined carbon entrapped in the iron column as it is descending and being immersed in the liquid-bath is that a continual replenishment takes place of carbonin the liquid-bath, this being necessary to keep the liquid-bath of the same constituency the same as that of pigiron-that is, a carbonaceous iron containing sufiicient carbon to furnish a solvent for the ,iron continually added thereto,increasing the fluidity of the iron and maintaining its solvent eflect. No mention has heretofore been made of any ferriferous ore, except the ordnary iron ore but the same process is applicable to a mXtur'e of ores necessary to produce any grade of metal desired. Thus any kind of ferreous combination can be made by this process by adding the necessary ingredients, as ores, metals, or metaloidsfor instance, as ferric manganese or spiegeleisen or chromic metals.

' It is understood that my invention includes the application of this process as applied to other metals than iron so 'far as it may be found applicable thereto.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth, a conduit arranged to conduct products of combustion over said hearth, a retort-chamber over said hearth, open at the bottom, whereby the ma-- terial discharged from said retort-chamber descends into said hearth, and means for feeding the material into said retort-chamber, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth, a conduit arranged to conduct products of combustion over said hearth, regenerative chambers connected with said conduit, means for reversing the direction of the flow of the air and gas through said conduit and chambers, a retort-chamber over said hearth,' open at the bottom, whereby the material discharged from said retort-chamber descends into said hearth, and means for eeding the material into said retort-chamber, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth, a conduit arranged to conduct products of combustion over said hearth, a tubular retort-chamber, the lower end of the tube being open and dis charging over the open hearth, and means for feeding material into the upper end of the tube, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character. described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth, a conduit arranged to conduct products of combustion over said hearth, a tubular retort-chamber, the lower end of the tube being open and discharging over the open hearth, means for passing hot gases from the smelting-chamber around the retort to heat the material there in, and means forfeeding material into the uppe'r end of the tube, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus .of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth, a conduit arranged to conduct products of combustion over said hearth, means 'for passing fluid fuel into said conduit along with the air, a retort-chamber over said hearth, open at the bottom, whereby the material discharged IIO from said retort-chamber descends into said hearth, and means for feedin the material into said retort-chamber, su bstantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth, a conduit arranged to conduct products of combustion over said hearth, regenerative chambers connected With said conduit, means for reversing the direction of the floW of the air through said conduit and chambers, means for passing fluid-fuel in either direction along said conduit With .the air, a retort-chamber over said a hearth, open at the bottom, Whereby the material discharged from said retort-chamber descends into said hearth, and means for feeding the material into said retort-chamber, substantially as described 7. In an apparatus of the character descrbed, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth at the bottom thereof, and .a dome of refractory material, an air-conduit leading over said open hearth substantially at the level thereof, means for passing fluid fuel into the conduit With the air, a tubular retort above said dome, open at the bottom to discharge the material into the open hearth, 'means for feeding the material into the upper end of said retort, and means for heating said retort, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of asmelting-chamber having an open hearth at the bottom thereof, and a dome of refractory materiaL' an air-conduit leading over said open hearth substantially at the level thereof, means for passing fluid fuel into the conduit With the air, a tubular retort above said dome, open at the bottom to discharge the material into the open' hearth, means for feeding the material into the upper end of said retort, and

`means for passing the -hot gases from the smelting-chamber around the retort to heat the same, substantially as described.

9. In' an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth at the bottom thereof, and a dome of refractory material, an air-conduit leading over said open hearth substantially at *the level thereof, means for passing fluid fuel into the conduit With the air, a tubular retort above said dome, open at the bottom to discharge the material into the open hearth, means for feeding 'the material into the upper end of said retort, a plunger for depressing the materialin said retort, and means for heating said retort, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth at. the bottom thereof, and a dome of refractory material, an air-conduit leading over said open hearth ssnis substantially at the level thereof, means foi- 'passing fluid fuel into the conduit With the air, a tubular retort above said dome, open at the bottom to discharge the material into the open hearth, means for feeding the material into the upper end of said retort, an apertured water-cooled top for said dome, and means for passing the hot gases from the smelting-chamber around the retort to heat the same, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth at the bottom thereof, and a dome of refractory material, an air-conduit leading over said open hearth substantially at the level thereof, means for passing fluid fuel into the conduit With the air, a tubular retort above said dome,- open at the bottom to discharge the material into the open hearth, means for feeding the material into the upper end of said retort, a sectional apertured Water-cooled top for said dome, and means for passing the hot gases from the smelting-chamber around the retort to heat the same, substantally as described.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a smelting-chamber having an open hearth at the bottom thereof, and a dome of refractory material, an air-conduit leading over said open hearth substantially at 'the level thereof, means for passing fluid fuel into the conduit With the air, a tubular retort above said dome, open at the bottom to discharge the material into the open hearth, a hopper in the top of :said retort having a depending ring eXtending into the retort, a plunger descending into said ring, and means for heating said retort, substantially as described.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, an open bottomed tubular retort, means for heating the same, means for'discharging material into the topof the retort; means for closingsaid top, means for drawing off the gases distilled `from the material in the retort, andmeans for applying heat to the material descending from the lower end of the retort, substantially as described.

14. In an apparatus of the'character described, the combination ofan open-bottomed tubular retort, means for heating said retort, means for feeding material into one end thereof, means for drawing off the gases distilled from the material in said retort, and means for applying smelting heat to the material emerging at the other end of the retort to smelt the ore therein, substantially as described.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination' of an open-bottomed tubular retort, means for heating said retort, means for feeding material intoone endthereof, means for drawing off the gases distilled from the material in said retort, and means for burning fluid fuel in proXimity to IOO IIO

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the material emrgng from the other end of the retort, substantally as described.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combnaton of an open bottomed tubular retort, means for heating said retort, means for feedng material into one end thereof, means for drawing off the gases distlled from the material in said retort, means for burning fiudfuel in proXmity to the materal emergng from the other end of the retort, means for storng up the heat of combustion, and means for utlzng said stored heat to heat the ar in a succeedng step of the operation, substantally as described.

17. In an apparatus of the character descrbed, the combnation of an open bot- .proximty to the material emergng from the other end of the retort, and means for passing part of the products of cornbuston around the retort to heat the same., substantially as described.

In Wtness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tWo subscrbng Witnesses.

' JOHN A. POTTER. Wtnesses:

FRANcIs M. WEIGHT, BESSIE GOFINKEL.- 

